


Whatever Was to Come

by weepingnaiad



Category: Marvel 616, Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Community: cottoncandy_bingo, F/M, Fluff, Schmoop, Tony's a better boyfriend than he's given credit for, stronger together
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-04-14
Updated: 2013-04-14
Packaged: 2017-12-08 11:48:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,167
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/760981
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/weepingnaiad/pseuds/weepingnaiad
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p><b>Summary:</b> It's raining out and Pepper's just trying to ignore today's date and all that has come before.  She's alive, Tony's alive and that should be enough.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Whatever Was to Come

**Author's Note:**

  * For [hitlikehammers](https://archiveofourown.org/users/hitlikehammers/gifts).



> **A/N:** Unbeta'd. Fill for my Cotton Candy Bingo square: _Snowglobe_. This little tidbit is dedicated to hitlikehammers whose love for Tony/Pepper makes me smile.
> 
> **Disclaimer:** These are Marvel and Whedon's characters used in the spirit of creative commons. I promise to return them with smiles on.

Pepper tightened her shawl around her shoulders against the lightly blowing autumn rain. Her perch was sheltered from the worst of the weather but still gave a wide view of the recovering city.

It was six months since what was dubbed "The Battle of New York", yet the city, for all its resilience, was still broken; empty husks of shattered buildings reaching jaggedly for the sky. Her gaze lingered on the blank spaces, the open sky where buildings once were. The unfamiliar sparseness shouted at a city that was more broken than healed; just like certain members of the Avengers.

And that thought seemed to conjure one in particular from thin air.

"Pep?" he asked from behind her.

She looked up, met his concerned frown with a welcoming smile. ‘Team’ looked good on Tony, agreed with him; far better than his lone wolf heroics ever had. Since the attack he'd settled into his skin, coming to grips with the demons of his past and seemingly embracing this new future.

"Tony," she answered, leaning back into his strength as his hands settled on her shoulders.

"What's up, babe?"

She shook her head, eyes closing to shut out the devastation.

"This doesn't look like nothing," he said as he settled behind her, the firm press of his body and arms providing more than warmth. She was safe now that Tony was here. And, more importantly, _he_ was safe.

"Can't a girl be moody?"

Tony snorted, his chest rumbling against her back. "Pepper Potts is a lot of things, but moody is not one of them."

"I can do diva," she protested.

Tony's lips brushed her cheek. "I'm the diva in this relationship, remember?"

Pepper's eyes slowly opened. Despite the dreary day and her melancholy, she smiled. "Far be it for me to challenge you for the title."

"So what's up?" He asked again. "Wait, let me guess!"

Pepper rolled her eyes, but didn't argue.

"The board is throwing a fit at the reconstruction costs."

"Not even close." Pepper shook her head.

"Hmmm. Okay."

Even without seeing him, Pepper could imagine the look on Tony's face as he concentrated. "Right. It's the zoning commission trying to block the title change on Stark Tower."

"They've given up trying. So no. Wrong again."

His arms tightened briefly as he said, "But it is about Avengers Tower, isn't it?"

His voice was too quiet and she turned to look at him, offering a reassuring smile. "Not exactly. It's just... I wonder if I can do this. If I can fit into this life as easily as the rest seem to. Almost overnight, you've adopted six other adults." She shook her head. "I just never would have imagined..."

"What? That I could be a team player?"

"You're still not a team player, Tony."

"Hey! I'm getting the hang of this team thing."

"Phil said--"

"Oh, no," Tony interrupted. "Agent is not allowed to tell tales. We had a deal."

"Actually, Phil said you were getting the hang of it. But you still tend to ignore orders."

"I'm working on that." Tony pulled her close and rested their cheeks together. "But I don't think that's it. I might be oblivious, Ms. Potts, but I eventually catch on to a diversionary tactic." Letting his lips brush her hair, he murmured, "Talk to me. I want to help."

Pepper took a deep breath and sighed. "That's the problem. You want to help. You put yourself out there..." She stopped herself. She was not going down that path again. She didn’t feel like re-starting that argument right now. "It’s probably just the weather getting to me."

“Not the weather. You think I’m completely oblivious.” He stood suddenly. “Stay here.”

Pepper watched as he darted inside. She shivered from the loss of his warmth and pulled the shawl close, her eyes trailing to the steady downpour once again. She was used to Tony’s antics and wasn’t even curious where he’d gone. She’d find out soon enough.

And then Tony was back and holding out a box sheathed in velvet. It was heavy when she took it from him.

“What is it?” she asked as he resumed his earlier position, his warmth once again settling into her bones.

“You think I don’t know what today is?”

She cocked her head and looked at him. “Today is nothing special,” she lied.

"Au contraire, ma cheri. Today is the anniversary of--"

“The chalet?” Her heart gave a little jump. She had no idea he even remembered.

“Of course,” he said and this time he was smirking.

Pepper elbowed him, but she was smiling. “You kissed me.”

“I beg to differ. _You_ kissed _me._ ”

She chuckled. “Fine. Then you ran like the devil himself was chasing you.”

He nodded, eyes solemn and wide, the breath of a half-formed apology on his lips. But that’s not what she expected. Not from Tony.

He nudged her hand and tilted his head toward the box like an eager puppy.

Ducking her head to hide the smile, she began to unwrap the box, growing more curious at the weight of it.

She slid a wooden box out of the black velvet bag. It bore no markings, but the top neatly lifted off to reveal a snowglobe. She reached inside and lifted it out. A lump formed in her throat and tears sprang to her eyes despite her best efforts. Inside the large globe was a perfect replica of the chalet in the Alps where they shared that first kiss. The kiss had been a disaster, probably too early, too rushed, scaring even Pepper with the weight of it. But the rest of their ski vacation had been undeniably perfect. It'd been the calm before the storm, before so much happened. Nearly too much.

It almost broke them before they'd even started, that one, sweet kiss. They'd crossed a line then and hadn't ever really gotten back to the way it was before. But for all the ache, the pain, the misunderstandings between then and now -- Tony'd almost _died_ no less than three times! -- but for all that had happened, Pepper still wouldn't change a thing.

_'What didn't kill you, made you stronger.'_

One Anthony Edward Stark was the strongest man she'd ever known.

And Pepper Potts loved him with everything she had.

She looked up at Tony, met his hopeful, slightly fretful expression with a glowing smile. So what if her eyes were wet? After everything she was entitled to a little emotional display.

"Thank you," she murmured, heartfelt, her throat closing around too many feelings.

"Pleasure's mine, babe," Tony replied, casually, almost flippant. That was her Tony even if the gleam in his eyes and the way his arms tightened around her said more than his words.

Pepper shook the snowglobe and watched the white flakes swirl around the chalet where her life changed forever.

They were okay. Were stronger. They'd made it through this and they'd be together through whatever was to come.

The End

**Author's Note:**

> I had this mostly written for awhile, just took a bit for me to be happy with it. I'm unsure of the timeline on Iron Man 3, but let's just say this takes place before that and after the Avengers, k?


End file.
